Post-hole auger



.a rectangular in cross-section.

UNITED STATES I PATENT ()FFICE.

DUGALD BELL MGCALL, OF YARRELLTON, TEXAS.

POST-HOLE AUGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,857, dated October 15, 1889.

Application filed June 20, 1839- Serial Natl L935. (No model.)

T to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DUGALD BELL MOOALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yarrellton, in the county of Milam and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Post-Hole Auger, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to post-hole angers; and it consists of certain details of construc- IO tion, as hereinafter fully described, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the said drawings, Figure l is a side ele vation of my improved auger. Fig. 2 is a central-vertical section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section 011 the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective detail of one of the bits.

The same letters of reference are applied to corresponding parts throughout.

The letter S designates the shank of my anger, which is preferably of cast-iron and At its upper end it is provided with a small spade, knife,

or shovel K, which may be integral therewith and tempered to a degree sufficient to meet all requirements, or may be of steel riveted, bolted, or otherwise fastened to the shank. Immediately below the spade a lateral hole is formed in the shank, through which a handle 11, preferably of wood, is passed, being secured in place by any desired means. At its lower end the shank is forked and continued downwardly in the two arms A A, which curve slightly outward, as shown. 3 5 At its lower end each arm A is elbowed at a and provided with three bolt-holes b, as seen in Fig. 2.

The letter D designates a band of sheetiron, Whose lower edge is sharpened, and which is bent into a ring shape, as shown. At two diametrically opposite points this band is provided with upwardly-projecting ears (Z (Z, and it is there pierced on each side with three bolt-holes Z), registering with those in the lower ends of the arms A and elbows a. B designates the bits, which are chilled steel of diamond shape, bent inwardly at their lower ends and provided with a slight screwtwist, so that in turning the auger to the right they will take into the soil and draw it upward through the band D. Each bit is provided near its upper end with two bolt-holes b in vertical alignment, adapted to register with those in the arms A and band D, heretofore described. In assembling theparts the band is first placed in position over the arms and bolted thereto through boltrholes in the elbows a. The bits are then placed in position, and through the remaining holes additional bolts are passed through the registering bolt-holes in the three thicknesses of metal, thus firmly and rigidly securing all the parts together and preventing them from working loose or becoming disconnected.

The outward curve of the arms A permits the dirt being bored out to rise through the band D in a mass or core, and by withdrawing the augerfrom the ground at any time, turning it on its side and knocking it, this core will fall out, thus clearing the imple-qo ment for further use. The bits are of course knife-edged, whereby they will sever roots encountered in the operation of boring; but if such roots be so large as to prevent the turning of the auger it may be withdrawn and the spade K used as a knife to chop or cut them. v

The entire device, except the handle, is

preferably constructed of iron or other stiff metal, as above described, but I do not limit myself to such material, as it may be found I advisable to employ wood for certain parts.

It will be obvious that the auger may be operated in soft soil without the bits B; also V that the latter may be removed for sharpening or the substitution of longer or shorter hits at will, all without disconnecting the band and arms, as the bolts in the elbows a retain them in relative position.

arms, and the bits B, outside of said band 0p-' posite said lower ends of the arms, said parts being secured together by bolts passing through registering holes in all of them, substantially as described.

3. In a post-hole anger, the shank S, forked and continued in the arms A, the latter having lateral elbows a, at their lower ends, the ring-shaped band D, embracing the lower ends of said arms and provided with upwardlyprojecting ears cl, and the bits B, said arms, band, and ears and bits having two registering bolt-holes one above the other, bolts for securing all said parts together, said elbows and said band remote from said bits having registering bolt-holes and bolts for securing said parts together independently of said bits, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto atfixed my signature in 20 presence oi two witnesses.

DUGALD BELL McCALL.

Witnesses:

R. K. FERGUSSON, D. J. MCCALL. 

